Pearl of Life

What had begun as a normal day in the waters swiftly changed as excited chatter filled the cavern. A shift in the water current foretold of the coming events and thousands upon thousands of mermen crammed into the small space. As the last few trickled in, a young blonde merman bumped head on with another in his haste.

“Sorry!” He hastily bowed his head but the one he had collided with was long gone.

Rubbing the sore spot, he hurriedly got into position. This was the first event in his short life as Dick 10. The excitement that ran through his veins was shared by all the mermen beside him, young or old. For this was what they lived for.

Looking to his left, he nodded at the merman next to him. The older Dick 55 gave him a wink. Grinning, he readied himself, his eyes taking in the amazing spectacle around him. Rows and rows of mermen stretched out in front of him, all of them looking identical to him… yet all so different.

Dick 30 had a foul temper, Dick 121 was always crying, Dick 55 joked around…. And he… He didn’t know what was special about him. But all of them were birthed from the same being – a human male.

How nice it must be for their father… to be able to walk on two legs and journey the lands and seas of the world. Glancing down at his white tail, a prick of envy pierced his heart. Stuck in this body of water, he, like all the others, yearned to be free of his confines. To break free from this form, this place, this life…

Bringing his gaze forward, he looked to the horizon with hope. This was when that dream might be fulfilled. The journey to obtain that elusive pearl… it only happened occasionally depending on their father. And now was their chance.

The pearl was located in a different body of water, buried far away where raging currents swept away the weak. Only the first merman who reached it would be granted their wish of becoming human. Only one would survive.

“Get ready!” A cry sounded from the front, sending his heartbeat into a flurry.

The mouth of the cavern opened and he blinked as the light assaulted his eyes. Water surged in, hitting his body like a brick wall. Grunting in pain, he pushed forward, his tail swishing ferociously.

He heard another shout from the frontlines. “Hurry, it’s closing!”

Giving it his everything, he swam as fast as he could, the tide already subsiding fast. Just as the two bodies of water disconnected, he made it through but not before seeing Dick 121 falling into the abyss. He tore his eyes away from his fallen comrade, knowing that now wasn’t the time to mourn.

Glancing around, he saw their numbers had dwindled to barely a hundred. And the journey had barely started. With the current raging around them, they still had to battle acidic waters-

“Watch out!”

Barely hearing the warning in time, he dodged to the right as the small fluid came rushing past, hitting Dick 30 straight in the face. A loud shriek echoed through the waters and he winced at the horrible death that befell the merman.

Soon, the water branched into a few different tunnels and the mermen separated into groups. Not knowing which to choose, he fell behind Dick 55, taking the left tunnel. Within a few seconds, a powerful force caused the tunnel to contract, pushing them forward. A new surge of water sent a course of adrenaline through his body and down to his tail, propelling him faster than ever.

Ahead, he could see a dazzling white light and as it cleared, he gasped in awe. A beautiful round pearl lay in front of him, its protective shield reflecting the light in a prism of beautiful colors. The mermen in front of him barreled through it, pushing with all their might as their natural coating around their skin dissolved the shield. But as they did, they lost their only protection against the current, screaming as the waters ate away at their body.

As more and more mermen launched themselves at the shield, it started fading. By the time he saw Dick 55 press his arms against it, only a thin layer was left. He was close too, his tail beating a fast rhythm, bringing him nearer.

As Dick 55 yelled in pain, he saw the last of the shield disappear, revealing the pure white pearl. A soft gasp left his throat at the wonder. He looked to Dick 55, thinking that his friend would make it… but his lips curved downwards in horror as the merman gave him one last smile before fading away.

No one was left. Only him. Brushing away the tears in his eyes, he swam faster, heading for the pearl.  Once he reached it, he stopped a mere inch away. Hesitating for a split second, he reached his arms out and touched the cold surface.

“So you are the one,” a feminine, gentle voice spoke. “I can make you human.”

A grin tugging at his lips, he opened his mouth, wanting to thank the pearl but the voice interrupted him once again.

“But in return, I’ll take something from you.”

His smile dropping, he asked warily, “And what is that?”

“Your manhood.”

Dick 10 did not have to think twice before accepting, for that was a small sacrifice in the face of his dream. Embracing the pearl, he felt its magic channeling through his body as they fused to become one. Within the new being, he both rejoiced and mourned at the accomplishment of his lifelong goal. His fallen comrades numbered in the thousands but he alone would carry their spirits with him.

Because you see, it was more than just a journey… it was a dream. A dream filled with hope and memories…

A dream of new life.

Author's Note: A full, extended version of this story is now available as an ebook download on Gumroad and many other retailers (Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple).